Eye tracking at a distance

Continuing with the theme of watching people at a distance, here is a story about a new device that can track eye gazes. The device can tell when it is being looked at by using infra-red light to detect the pupils of the eye. This has interesting applications in areas such as advertising, but also interesting privacy implications.

A camera that monitors eye movements from up to 10 metres away makes it possible for smart billboards that track the attention of passers-by. The developers behind the technology – dubbed Eyebox2 – believe it could have a range of possible applications, but should particularly interest advertisers. This is because it allows billboards to track people’s attention and perhaps respond when it wanes.